Saturday was supposed to be a triumphant day for the Rhode Island Rams, a chance to extend their undefeated streak and conquer their in-state rivals, Providence, for the first time since 2019, the roar of the crowd was a testament to the high stakes. And, well, they did just that with a thrilling six-point win in South Kingstown. But what should have been all cheers and celebrations for the Rams turned into a messier affair. Unforgettable? Absolutely. But maybe not for the reasons Rhode Island hoped.

The Friars came into this game looking to extend their dominance, and for a hot minute, it seemed like they might. Up seven at halftime, Providence looked comfortable. But the Rams had other plans. They stormed back in the second half, outscoring the Friars 41-28, with offensive rebounds playing a key role. The three-pointer from senior guard Sebastian Thomas, with less than 30 seconds left, deserves special appreciation. 

Finally, they won by 69-63. The fans were pumped, but, surprisingly; they didn’t storm the court. However, just as the buzzer sounded and the teams headed to the handshake line, chaos broke loose. Players from both sides got into it. 

Archie Miller, Rhode Island’s head coach, and his Providence counterpart Kelly English were mid-handshake when they suddenly had to switch gears and break up the fight. Security swooped in, but not before things got heated. After the dust settled, Miller addressed the unfortunate incident in the post-game conference.

“You know, it looks good on TV to plant flags in football games, and everybody wants to fight,” he said, clearly unimpressed. “But, you know, act like you’ve been there before, one way or another. If you get your a-s kicked, shake their hands and go to the locker room. If you win, shake their hands, go to the locker room, and celebrate.”

Although he admitted that they “needed to do a better job”, he was sure his guys were just emotionally charged. “When you get into those situations, things can get stupid quick,” he added. Meanwhile, English just said, “Y’all don’t say hello when it’s time to say goodbye.”

Now, Providence will have to wait another year to try to avenge its loss while the Rams are on cloud nine—not just because of the win, but because this is their best start in more than seven and a half decades.

Archie Miller & Co. off to their best start in 77 years

It’s been a long 77 years since Rhode Island men’s basketball started like this. So long that Frank Keaney, the legendary coach behind the Rams’ famed “Keaney blue” and fast-break style, was the one calling the shots back then. And now, Archie Miller and his squad are turning back the clock, kicking off the season with a 9-0 record. 

They’ve got the rivalry win, a few solid victories, and the momentum fans haven’t felt since the Dan Hurley days. Both Hurley brothers joined URI in their initial years of coaching. The UConn Huskies HC was the associate head coach from 2012 to 18. 

Fast forward to now, the Rams came into Saturday’s game to break a frustrating streak after many years. The Friars had won three straight in the series and only dropped two games to Rhode Island since the 2009-10 season. 

But this time, the Rams flipped the script. “It isn’t really about them — it’s about us,” said David Green before the game started. “I just want to see us keep this thing rolling. Keep it on track and play as hard as we can.” But before toppling Providence, Rhode Island dismantled teams like Charleston, Holy Cross, UT Arlington, and more. 

They even grabbed a notable win over Yale earlier this month, a team fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance. Yale pushed hard for all 40 minutes, but the Rams pulled away in the second half to seal an 84-78 victory. That win officially clinched URI’s best season-opening record since Keaney’s 1947-48 squad.

So, it’s safe to say that Rhode Island is officially rolling. Are they back to the glory days of Keaney or Hurley? Not yet. But they’re giving it their best shot, and if they can keep this momentum alive, who knows how far they’ll go?